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Srettha Thavisin: Likely Pheu Thai candidate

Photo: LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA / AFP

The political situation in Thailand is deadlocked, and two months after the parliamentary elections, there are still difficulties in forming a government. The Pheu Thai party wants to start the next attempt next week.

After election winner Pita Limjaroenrat of the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) had previously failed twice in parliament in his attempt to be elected prime minister, the most important coalition partner should now try, said MFP Secretary General Chaithawat Tulathon.

Pheu Thai second strongest force

Pita had not been able to bring a majority of both chambers behind him last week. This week, there was no second planned vote because conservative forces in parliament had argued that a candidate should not stand for election twice. As a result, there were protests by supporters of Pita in Bangkok.

The Pheu Thai is considered pro-democracy and came second in the parliamentary elections in May. The party is likely to send real estate millionaire Srettha Thavisin into the race. Pheu Thai has 141 seats in the 500-member parliament, while Move Forward has 151.

Although he has a stable majority in the House of Representatives, he was still not elected head of government – because in the kingdom 250 conservative senators appointed by the military also vote on the prime minister. This was decreed by the previously ruling army after its coup in 2014.

Dispute over lèse-majesté law

For Move Forward, it is not a priority that Pita becomes head of government, the newspaper "Bangkok Post" quotes Secretary General Chaitawat Tulathon. Our mission is to form a government of the democratic side (...)," he said.

The main reason for the failure of Pita and his party is their plan to change the controversial Lèse-Majesté law. Thailand punishes lèse-majesté more severely than almost any other country. Until now, Article 112 was considered inviolable.

Many conservative parliamentarians are strongly opposed to a government in which the MFP is involved because of the reform plans. Pheu Thai leaders, on the other hand, said they would leave the article unchanged if they came to power, giving them a better chance. A new vote is to be held next Thursday.

PTZ/dpa